October: Your Three Favourite Tracks

11 Oct 2021141

'October….'

Arriving in the world on October 12th 1981, the band's second studio album marks its fortieth birthday this month.

When it was remastered a few years back, Edge recalled the period of its writing like this.

'It was obvious to everyone that we were driving with two wheels over the edge of the cliff, and it drew from us, and particularly Bono, a level of creativity that we had not seen before.'
 
'Like all great rock,' ran the review in the English music title Melody Maker in 1981, 'you feel you must have heard these songs somewhere else - and yet they're unlike any other that you can think of.' 

Producer Steve Lillywhite recalled the record in the band's magazine Propaganda.
''October was the most difficult of the three three records I did with them basically because of the well-chronicled story of Bono losing his lyrics during the American tour. The fact that the first album had a bit of success in America meant that the band toured over there for a long time to do the groundwork. When they came back and it was time to do the second album, nothing was ready!"
 
Of the eleven songs on the album, some like Gloria and October have always kept a place in the band's live set but if you had to choose only three tracks to keep from October what would they be?

Vote in our poll and then tell us why in the comments below.

Comments
141
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zootvpw
Rejoice
It’s got to be Rejoice . I mean have you heard Larry play fast ever the big sound coming out of those drums are Awsome .
benjamin
Top 3
Gloria/October/Rejoice
YankeeManc
My Three Favourite Tracks from my favour
October I Fall Down Tomorrow
g8tor8
October fav 3 tracks
OCTOBER exceptional and like Larry Mullen Jr my birthday is in ROCKTOBER too GLORIA Great Song Simple TOMMOROW Because we always want her to come back Tommorrow
StephOnTour87
Still in my top 5 after all those years
I have to admit that I cherish more the period 80-90 than all the other ones, even if I still follow the band on tour since 1985 (even made the trip to Tokyo in 2019 to see them again). October has an authenticity and this 'irish' touch I never found again in their carreer. It is an album I always loved, and I think it deserves more than it got. Surely the most underrated album, along with Pop.
Darcy08081983
Larry
Feliz aniversário Larry ! Happy birthday ;) love from Portugal
marcellin
Une découverte qui me suit depuis 40 ans
Quand j'ai placé le vinyl sur ma platine et que les premiers instants de Gloria ont résonné dans la pièce, j'ai su que je venais de découvrir un groupe très spécial auquel je serais toujours attaché.
Sleathy!
On FIRE
Fire was the track that hooked me into U2. I went straight out and bought the album and Boy the next day! The rest, as they say, is history! Thank you. THANK YOU U2!
musicabona
Spiritual journey
I love the raw emotion of the "October" album, which is both powerful and mystical in my opinion. Its biblical references clearly unveil the search for spirituality Bono, The Edge and Larry went through at that time. At this early stage of their career U2 already unfolded their talent to create a whole spectrum of tone colours through expressive guitar and piano notes, echo effects, thunderous drum parts and distinctive bass lines. In the poll I voted for "Gloria", "Tomorrow" and "October" even though it´s difficult to choose only three tracks from an underrated album that contains more gems. The first song "Gloria" introduces us to U2´s spiritual journey with great melodies and an energetic sound. After some lines describing a feeling of uncertainty Bono confesses his trust and faith in God. Sung in Latin, the chorus appears as a celebratory prayer and praise to the Lord. "Tomorrow" is such a haunting piece, giving Bono a chance to reveal his mourning, vulnerability and yearning. I´m touched by the way its dreamy first part merges into a more fierce sound as it developes more speed and force. The meditative atmosphere continues with "October". Bono´s lower pitch of the voice and wonderful piano notes evoke autumnal images, with lyrics symbolising both transience and eternity. A truly beautiful and poetic moment of melancholy.
clareR
One of my top three albums
This was an impossible choice, only three songs! This album is probably the most dear to my heart than all other U2 albums. It was my 1st, played incessantly on my walkman to and from work and on the train, everywhere. Whenever I was down it lifted me up, when I was happy, it made me happier. I just love it and was always surprised at the lukewarm reception. Its sheer raw energy and those drums of Larry's. The whole album is too good to choose a few, everything about it, from Bono's voice, as always, to Adam's bass to instrumental guitar. It has a joy about it like no other and at the same time an incredible melancholy with the likes of Tomorrow and October. Thank you to the boys for such a great album, even if they didn't think so themselves. It's a wonderful thing to contribute so much to so many people's lives and I'm so happy they've been a massive part of mine.
debraakinnal
Mama Tommy
An oldie but a goodie!
lessimon
Fire Vhen i have 16 years old
During a bmx compétition in 1987 iI remember putting on my earphones on my Walkman I put on the sound of u2 fire I was incvincible on the track thank you Bono for helping me win the podium god bless u
norest
Unpolished sound at its best
October is one of those albums where you can feel the band's euphoria to play. Regardless of how it all has to come out with pressure, which in total does not result in a smoothly polished album, but makes up the special charm that I would often want from today's U2 songs. The carefree just go ahead and play. I especially like the sound of Larry and Adam in October, which you normally only find on Boy. Of course, Bono and Edge are great as always! My favorite songs: Tomorrow - Bono's loss that you can understand and the current folk sound of this song October - Sounds like autumn ... Edge and Bono in the colorful forest of leaves Is That's all? - U2 at its best, so beautifully unpolished sound
carritt
October….always unfinished.
Gloria, I Fall Down, Tomorrow, I Threw A Brick and the title track feel the most complete songs and the best. I’ve never liked Fire, not a good song and a poor single and the rest of the album feels like a series of unfinished sketches/ideas. The difficult 2nd album indeed. 6/10
gero27
October is 40???
Such a great album, it has become one of my favorite albums from all the early albums released by the best band in the world, U2. It will be great if they could release a box set with rarities and new mixes of this gem.
styxgirl65
I Threw A Brick Through A Window
My 3 are I Threw A Brick, Tomorrow and October. Brick has the anger, Tomorrow has the longing and October the acceptance. Solace in the wake of a loved one's passing.
Myrtie
Myrtie
I would keep Gloria, Tomorrow and fire because these best express my own feelings when I was a young girl hearing this for the first time Gloria to me is very much about spirituality and very deep feelings regarding faith and what this means. Tomorrow is about losing someone you love for the first time and the raw emotion this brings to the surface, Fire to me is the anger and frustration of living in a constricted environment and wanting to go out and become the person you need to be if I had to keep just one album it would be this one because so much of my life is wrapped up in it.
marcoaerts
Marco
time flies with good musical
Missie427
Heaven sent
I was 13, I was completely lost, and already so jaded, when I heard Gloria, and I knew that it was very, very special, I was comforted and encouraged in a way that I had never known before, and that has happened for me many times over since that first time. U2 simply are a part of who I am. ✌❤✌❤
Bullet_The_Blue_Sky
Northern Alberta
I live in Northern Alberta and this album is special to me because as of October 1, the trees truly are bare of all that they wear. I bought this album to celebrate my 20th birthday 40 years ago!
enfpaulo
Portugal
October Tomorrow Gloria
Miriam Jonker
One classic and 2 beautiful titles
'Nuf said.
maurizio1176
Great album
think it's a very good album but it didn't have the right success. There are very beautiful songs but underrated and little played by the band such as for example With a Shout
SuzyT
Changed my world
Gloria was the song that made me fall in love with U2. It still makes me levitate. The whole album was a soundtrack to my coming of age, and even though I didn’t understand most of the biblical/spiritual references, its energy and soul somehow spoke to me. Many years later I learned that Bono and Larry had experienced early familial losses like me and I wonder if that’s part of what I instinctively felt coming through the music. And it was, indeed, unlike anything I’d ever heard before. In a good way!!!!
abraham1
Masterpiece
To go back on track after losing lyrics and create songs like Gloria, Fire, October, Scarlet full of inspiration, faith and musicality, that’s a huge achievement and put October into my U2’s top 5 albums. I will never be agreed with Edge’s recalling October’s experiences, for me October is a angular stone of musical maturity of the band, specially on this Covid times, all the faithful essence of October, makes us to move forward with God and our beliefs in him. God bless the band.
thomaswalther
Great Album
The album is still young and fresh and rock n roll. I love the raw thing about the album ... no frills
jumper07
Punk Period
I consider the band's first four albums to be their punk rock period. Reminiscent of The Clash, and other classic bands from that time. War was my first U2 album, at the age of 13, but Boy & October are a unique sound from a band that has evolved many times over the years.
jeangoncali
Tomorrow + Rejoice + Fire + With a shout
I agree with Lost Sailor and Morgan 777: "Tomorrow", "Rejoice" & "Fire", and if I could say one more, "With a shout". "Tomorrow" has a lyrical intensity greater than "Drowning man" and close to "Promenade" or even "With or without you" or "Heartland". "Rejoice", "Fire" and "With a shout" have powerful chorus and good, even fast, guitars, And the guitar solo from "Fire" is also the endearing solution to the mysterious ending of "Boy"... it's a delicious bridge between the two albums. I love "October", more than "War" and probably (not very sure) than "Boy". Although my jewels will always be "The Joshua Tree", "Rattle and hum" and "The unforgettable fire".
john81
Memories
Growing up to the sound of U2 , playing on the dutebox in my friends bar. The Failte Hotel in Killarney
brendaneno
Brendan McGee
I bought a cassette of 'October' a few days after seeing the band in Phoenix Park, Dublin in August 1983. It was a CBS Ireland copy with white labels and the funny thing is, it seemed to be duplicated from an LP record. That's right, you could even hear the crackle and rumble of a turntable between the songs and the music actually skipped during 'Tomorrow'! I sent it back to CBS Ireland a few years later and they replaced it with an updated copy. I really wish I had kept that cassette now but I did find a photo on the web of it. I have of course, bought CDs and a vinyl copy of the album over the years because it has remained a favourite. When there was only 'Boy', October' and 'War' to choose from, 'October' always got a bit of a raw deal but I always loved it. Bono didn't seem to have much to say but the band sound on fire!. Almost every song has a long instrumental section and I am around long enough to remember when the late (Irish) Bill Graham re-named the guitarist, 'The Edge Orchestra'. because that is what he was on this record. Most of it is drenched in a beautiful reverb too, leaving it just nicely out of focus. I am choosing 'Gloria', 'October' and 'Rejoice' as my three favourites.
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